I was born on January 7th, 1957 in Navarrenx, which is in the Pyrenees Mountains next to the Atlantic Ocean. I spent almost 4 years of my childhood at Laos. My father was in the Army. I attended high school and afterwards, being really good at drawing, I studied fine arts in Pau for one year.

I joined the Army as a parachutist for 18 months and I served the Tchad for 6 months. When I left the army, I won some contests for a job as a swimming trainer and I worked in various spots for some time. In 1977, when I was 20, I attended a 6-month course at the Police Academy and I got the qualification as a security guard in CRS.

In the following four years I got the qualification as a swimming trainer and a lifeguard. In 1981 I won a contest for a job as a security guard at the CEA (Atomic Energy Commissariat). I have been improving my job position constantly. To date I am a foreman. If there are no problems, I will be able to retire in 6 years.

I got married in 1979. I have two children - Caroline and Franck. They are respectively 23 and 15 years old. I got a divorce six years ago. Now I live together with my de facto - Sandra. She is a dance teacher. I have always been into sports: running, swimming, handball, rugby (when I was 15), martial arts, diving.

I do love the sun and the sea. Unfortunately, I live in Dijon which is quite far from the seaside. My dream is moving to the South of France in 6 years. I discovered bodybuilding by chance and very late in my life... After I had quit rugby, I felt the need to exercise. A friend of mine had just subscribed a gym membership.

He asked me to go there with him and I did. I didn't quite like the idea to go to a gym. However that was my first time in a gym. I was 33 years old. My weight was 85 kilos (187 lbs.) and my height was 183 cm ( 6 feet). Believe me, I have never been really skinny. I must admit I was not very much impressed by the gym. I thought it was stupid to struggle with a barbell and two 10-kilo (22 lbs.) plates on the sides. I am honest. I kept on for several months.

Eventually, I bought a gym-set to work out in my basement. Lonesome and in my basement - that was the very starting of my career as a bodybuilder. I had no knowledge. I didn't read bodybuilding magazines. I had been training insanely for three years. I had not been following any special training program. My only goal was to acquire a noticeable size.

Later on I started to read bodybuilding magazines and got interested into any bodybuilding champion. I subscribed to a brand new gym in Dijon. It was the Athletic Gym and the owner was Jacky Biondi. The ambiance and the people were wonderful. There I started to work out hard and properly diet.

One year later, Jacky began to talk me into entering for a regional competition. The idea had never crossed my mind before that day! He pressured me so much that he got me persuaded. So I got it started! Thanks to his advice I won my first competition at Macon in 1994. I was 37 years old! My height was always 183 cm ( 6 feet ) but now my weight was 83 kilos ( 183 lbs .)! Today I can barely realize what I was able to do and the results I gotÖ

Alain Petriz's Training

My regime doesnít change much throughout the year as far as diet is concerned Ė but the quantities do vary. Iím not making any more big weight-gains (Iíve already got up to 125kg). My out-of-season weight is around 108-110kg, for 98kg at the weigh-in. My training is always pretty heavy, with a few lighter sessions to take the pressure off my joints. I donít have a set routine all year round Ė I tend to do what I feel I need to. I take on about 4500 calories a day out of season, and go down to about 2500 when Iím in training, with some variation from day to day. My basic diet consists of rice, pasta, white meat, fish (lots of tuna), minced beef (5% fat), eggs, cottage cheese (0% fat), vegetables and fruit.

When Iím preparing for competition, I start training between three and four months in advance. I used to start about two months in advance, but I was always very tired and I lost a fair amount of muscle mass as a result. This allows me to lose weight slowly, and avoids sudden energy crashes! I train with fairly heavy weights right up to the end, and I do a bit more cardio than usual during this period. I reduce my intake of carbohydrates little by little, and increase my protein to about 300-350g per day. Sometimes I take a sugar supplement to boost my metabolism, but nothing too drastic. I drink a lot of water, and as far as supplements go I take BCAAs, proteins, creatine, carnitine, vitamin/mineral pills, glutamine, fat burners and anti-oxidants.

Allin Petriz's Career

1993 - Debut in the FFCPAS / WABBA category

1993 - Novices at MACON

1993 - Champion of Bourgogne in the Light Heavyweight class at 183 Pounds

1994 - Champion of Bourgogne

1994 - 3rd place at the French Championship's semi-finals

1995 - Champion of Bourgogne

1995 - 2nd place at the French Championship's semi-finals

1995 - 3rd place at the French Championship's finals

1996 - French Champion of the Super Light Heavyweight class at 195 pounds

1997 - 1st place ex aequo in the final of the French Champ. in BASTIA

1997 - 5th place at the World Championship WABBA in CASTRES in the Senior Class

1999 - 1st place at the Final UFSH in STRASBOURG, France (Senior Heavyweight)